UG+Research+Symposium+Spring+2014

=Wednesday, May 7= =Union 3606 (Shelnutt Gallery) (reserved 8am-4pm)=

Kelly Dearborn (Norfolk, VA) (Sustainability Studies, 2016)
 * Can Trees Grow the Economy: A Comprehensive Plan for Analysis of City Wide Urban Greening in Detroit, MI**

William Mehner (Troy, NY) (STS, 2017)
 * RPI Bike Share Program: For a More Sustainable Community**

Sarah Andres (Foxborough, MA) (Biochemistry-Biophysics + minor in Sustainability Studies, 2015)
 * A Historical Study of Asthma Research on Triggers and Pathways**

Alli Morgan (Utica, NY) (STS + Biology, 2016)
 * Straying from the Norm: Examining the Outliers in Asthma Research **

The aim of this research was to investigate the asthma researchers and practitioners that are considered “outliers” in the field; those who investigate the etiology and treatment of the disease from perspectives that do not conform with the currently accepted Western biomedical model of the disease. Significant gaps in asthma knowledge have mobilized researchers and practitioners to examine asthma from different views. Focus was placed primarily on the work of Dr. Rosalind Wright and the pioneers behind the Buteyko Breathing Method. Each research group had clear dissatisfaction with the preexisting asthma research. While each individual or group had a different research trajectory, they shared a common bond over the lack in knowledge regarding the etiology and therefore best treatment for asthma. Wright’s studies argue for a link between environmental stress and rates of inflammatory disorders, including asthma. While these studies certainly demonstrate the impact of psychosocial factors on disease, they left many questions largely unanswered. The Buteyko Method was largely rejected by the allopathic medical community despite some promising clinical trials that illustrate the efficacy of the treatment modality. Within the Buteyko community, evident schisms exist both geographically and socially. Although each researcher seems to approach the disease from drastically different ideologies, they share a common desire to link other factors to the disease etiology. It remains clear that no single method or research framework adequately accounts for every facet of the disease.

Jeremy Washington (Upper Marlboro, MD) (Sustainability Studies + Economics, 2016)
 * How Much Does Asthma Cost? Different Approaches to Measurements**

Lisa McDevitt (Portsmouth, NH) (Sustainability Studies + Geology, 2014) --- The aim of this research was to better understand the factors shaping the experiences of women impacted by the shale gas industry in rural West Virginia. The process of extracting natural gas from shale involves the highly controversial process of horizontal high volume hydraulic fracturing (fracking), which research suggests may be linked to a host of environmental and community health problems. The debate surrounding the issue is dominated by two opposing discourses: one guided by information provided by oil and gas industry, and the other by environmental activism. The result is the exclusion of impacted individuals from contributing to the discourse on fracking and safety, particularly in rural regions with a history of poverty and environmental degradation from industrial practices. This study focuses primarily on the women in one such region: Doddridge County, West Virginia. Interviews with these women reveal a sense of disempowerment associated with being excluded from the conversation of shale gas, despite the risk it poses to their everyday lives. By drawing on themes from standpoint epistemology, risk society, and environmental justice, this work will show that the experiences of women in shale gas communities provide valuable insight into the impacts of the fracking industry, yet their voices are often lost in the debate between industry and environmental activists. These findings are the result of a combination of literature review, media analysis, and community member interviews.
 * Defining Safety: West Virginia Women and their Experiences with the Shale Gas Industry**